Dry Skin during Pregnancy and Product Review: Celeteque Dermoscience+ Hydration Facial Moisturizer

To some women, pregnancy causes dry skin due to the hormonal changes in the body. Hormonal changes in the body rob skin of elasticity (hello, stretch marks!) and oil and skin turns flaky, ashy, and itchy. The best way to avoid this is through proper hydration. By drinking and ingesting the recommended amount of fluids for pregnant women and applying lotions and moisturizers that are safe for pregnant women.

Spread Awareness! Support breastfeeding and Win goodies from Crumbs and Grubs.

Spread Awareness! Support breastfeeding and Win goodies from Crumbs and Grubs. 

Good news to all breastfeeding moms! Increase your milk supply with healthy and yummy lactation cookies from Crumbs and Grubs. They're not only good for mommies, but for the whole family as well!

As a fun way to spread awareness and show support to breastfeeding, Crumbs and Grubs is giving away Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk Lactation Cookies to 2 (two) lucky winners!

Lactation Cookies contains "galactagogues" which are natural herbal/plant substances that helps increase lactation.
To know more about Lactation Cookies and Crumbs & Grubs, click on the link to visit Crumbs and Grubs on Facebook. (http://www.facebook.com/CrumbsandGrubs/app_129982580378550)
Website: http://crumbsandgrubs.wix.com/mommies

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baby Beginnings Bazaar 2012: A baby and maternity bazaar

Baby Beginnings Bazaar 2012: A baby and maternity bazaar

To all moms, moms-to-be, and dads,

Join us on September 2, 2012 from 9am-3pm at The Ateneo De Manila University for the first-ever Baby Beginnings Bazaar! The event will be held at Room 1, Intitute of Social Order Bldg, Fr. Arrupe Road.

Get as much as 50% off on branded baby products such as: Avent, Fisher-Price, Dr. Brown, and more.

Bond with other parents and parents-to-be as they share their pre-loved baby and maternity items.

A Lactation Consultant will also provide FREE Consultations regardingbreastfeeding. To help increase nursing moms’ milk supply, there will be Lactation Cookies by Crumbs. There will also be pastries and other baked goods by Crazy Bakes.

MORE FREEBIES AND FUN awaits you as PRIZES WILL BE RAFFLED OFF HOURLY just for joining the event!

The event is free and open to everyone!

First 20 (twenty) nursing moms and expectant moms to pre-registerfor the event will Get a FREE GOODIE BAG from Crumbs and Crazy Bakes. To pre-register, text your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, DUE DATE/YOUR BABY’S BIRTHDATE to 0916-5518744.

Third Trimester: Changes, Tests, and Preparations for the BIG DAY!

We are now on our Third Trimester-lots of changes have happened in the past few weeks and been doing a lot of preparations for the BIG DAY! Today, baby and I are 27 weeks and 5 days old!

There’s no other feeling like the bliss and excitement motherhood brings; especially for a first-time mom like me. I would stay up all night just waiting and watching out for the little one’s every kick and movement It’s always exciting to watch and wonder “what are you doing in there, little one?” as you feel those tiny (and sometimes hard and startling) little kicks and all the gymnastics going on in there. I always look forward to those bonding moments with my baby. I just can’t help but laugh in amazement and of course, adoration, with every movement and kick. 

We are nearing the BIG DAY and I have just realized how much I am going to miss having the little one growing inside me and oh, those little taps of love from the little one, happiness! Carrying this wonderful angel around, feeling and waiting for every kick and movement, and just lovingly nourishing the little piggy in my belly. Nothing compares to the bond that a baby in the womb and its mother share. Nothing can ever compare to the pure bliss that motherhood and pregnancy brings.

I have been extremely sleepy and easily tired lately, probably due to baby’s almost non-stop gymnastics and hyperactivity! I got my first boobie stretch mark (please, excuse me for this) last week and I totally freaked out. I got my very first belly stretch mark this week as well and must I explain how freaky and a bit sad it felt? I’ve been religously  slathering Palmer’s Massage Creamsince I was on my 4th month (save for a day or two when I missed my “ritual”) and I thought the stretch marks would never appear, but alas, they do as I am almost done with pregnancy and nearing HAPPY DAY. The stretch marks, oh dear, they hurt and feel constantly sore! It’s as if your skin is being pulled and forced to stretch and they feel as if you’ve got some abrasions on your tummy.

We’re having our 4D scan on the 13th- we’ll finally find out baby’s gender! I must admit though, since our last scan (16 weeks CAS), it has been such a suspenseful event and I felt like the countdown would never end! And yes, I am guilty of splurging on baby’s clothes and shoes, despite the undetermined gender. Call it first-time mom’s syndrome or whatever you may, it’s special preparations for a very special little person.

I’ve been having endless dreams about the little one: as an adorable chubby infant, as a tiny tot on her brown potty, as a hard-headed little boy whom mama just adores, and countless other dreams. 4 more days until our 4D ultrasound and we’ve long been preparing for it and have been comparing Ultrasound Centers’ packages and rates. Here are the  packages and rates for 3D and 4D Scans of the two Ultrasound Centers we’ve checked:

San Juan Ultrasound Clinic: N. Domingo Street, San Juan, Metro Manila 

Call (02) 727-9828 for Appointment

Read my experience/review on San Juan Ultrasound Clinic at: http://happymommyadventures.blogspot.com/2012/07/second-trimester-16-weeks-happy-mommy.html

• Basic Package P 2,500: 3D Scan, Gender Determination, OB-GYN Report, 4pcs 4R Pictures, CD.

• Superior Package P3,500: 3D/4D Scan, Gender Determination, OB-GYN Report, 4pcs 4R and 1 5R Pictures, Ultrasound Video with Music in CD.

• De Luxe Package P4,500: 3D/4D Scan, Gender Determination, OB-GYN Report, 4pcs 4R and 1 8×10 Pictures, Real-time Ultrasound Video with Music in CD.
• Premiere Package P6,500

Map and Directions to San Juan Ultrasound Clinic

In My Womb: 

For Appointment

The Fort, Taguig, 2nd Floor, Golden Forum Bldg (Beside Shell), (02) 828-4143, Glorietta Link Building (beside Anson’s), 2nd floor,  (02)8565798, SM Megamall, 5th Level Building B, (02) 6389629, SM City Marikina, Lower Ground Floor (02) 477-2040, Mall Of Asia (MOA), 2nd Level, South Parking,(02)556-6271

• Pearl Package P3,000:  2D, 3D, 4D Scan, 5 high-res B & W 3D superior quality thermal photos,5 high-res colored 3D superior quality photopaper, Diagnostic comprehensive OB-GYN report, Gender determination of 99 – 100% accuracy, CD of Photos

• Ruby Package P4, 200: 2D, 3D, 4D Scan, 5 high-res B & W 3D superior quality thermal photos,5 high-res colored 3D superior quality photopaper, Diagnostic comprehensive OB-GYN report, Gender determination of 99 – 100% accuracy, Personalized audio-video edited DVD

• Diamond Package P7,000: 2D,3D,4D Scan, 10 high-res colored3D superior quality photopaper,1 8″ X 10″ high-resolutioncolored 3D superior quality photopaper of chosen facial fetal image, 1 CD with all the photos taken during the scan in JPEG format, Diagnostic comprehensive OB-GYN report, Gender determination (99 – 100% accuracy), Personalized audio-video edited DVD

• Platinum Package P12,000

*Free return visit for rescan within 14 days from the time package was availed if baby is not cooperative during your session (just show your official receipt).

TopHealth Medical Clinic*:

For Appointment

SM San Lazaro, SM Sta. Mesa

(02) 790-3129, (020 353-4461/ (02)714-0613 local 120

• 3D Ultrasound P950: 3D Ultrasound, Gender Determination, 10 still photos in CD

*Note: (Added TopHealth to list. Edited:  August 21, 2012) 

Despite the affordable and very low promo rate, I did not opt for TopHealth due to negative reviews by their recent clients and I already had my ultrasound when I found out about the promo.

Other preparations we’ve been working on:

• Prepared Childbirth Classes with Rome Kanapi (more on this on my next post)
• Birth Plan: Hospital, Doctors, etc  (more on this on my next post)
• Baby Clothes, Shoes, and Gears
• Looking for and attending every possible Pregnancy/Baby Event and Seminar
• Baby-proofing the house
• Researching about Natural Birthing/Water Birthing and looking for possible midwives  (more on this on my next post)

Baby is kicking again and I’m feeling a bit tired now. Heading of to bed now. See you on my next post!

Be safe and Have a Happy Mommy Day!

❤

The Happy Mommies Club

We now have a Happy Mommies Club where we could share tips, talk about motherhood, child care, home-making and home-business related activities , girl stuff, and also to serve as a support group for pregnant moms.

These past few months, I realized how important it is to have great support when you are pregnant, it's specially important to help fight the blues away and avoid all those anxieties and stress of that pregnancy can sometimes bring. Our experienced Mommies can help provide you with the support you need for a happy and healthy pregnancy.

From helping you prepare for the things you'll need, helping you with planning, to providing information resources for your needs. I know a lot of first-time moms would find them as helpful and useful as I have! 

There will be Mommy Gathering Events where members can get together, discuss pregnancy and motherhood-related topics, organize bazaar/venues for our moms with home businesses and to provide our moms with affordable baby and maternity needs, invite resources speakers to our events to provide information to our moms, and more fun activities ahead!

Join us and let's support each other as we go through this wonderful journey of Pregnancy and Motherhood!

Registration to our Exclusive Happy Mommies Club is FREE and now OPEN. Register by filling up the Club Registration Form below. 

Open to all Wonderful Mothers, whether you're Expecting or Juggling the little ones! Invite your Mommy Friends too!

My Belly Blessed Fest and Mommy Mundo 2012 Experience

The Belly Blessed Fest and Mommy Mundo was held today at Fun Ranch, Frontera Verde, Pasig City. Can I just say how so much fun it was! There were a lot of booths that gave out so many baby products, discounts, and information kits to expectant moms and moms. Upon entering the venue, expectant moms who have pre-registered thru SMS were given a swag bag filled with goodies, a "passport" where you get stamps and goodies from every booth, a raffle ticket, and a newspaper.

Goodie Bags!

The "passport" thing was so much fun. Completed passports earns you another raffle entry.You get to visit and collect stamps from booths like The Belly Blessed  Bar, Cordlife, Anmum, Lactacyd Baby Bath, Baby Plus, Mommy Matters, Indigo Baby, and more. It gave us a chance to visit every booth and check out their wonderful products; ranging from baby bottles, infant wear, maternity clothes, maternity milk, strollers, wooden toys, and more. The best part was everything was at discount prices, ranging from 30% off to 70% off! The good part is, if you run out of cash, they accept credit cards. Now, tell me if that ain't fun!

My "Passport" 

Too bad it rained, everybody scampered around and I didn't get the chance to get a stamp from The Belly Blessed Tree. No extra raffle entry and I didn't get to submit my passport.

At 1pm, the program started and they had some talks regarding the products/booths at the event and they gave out prizes to the lucky raffle winners. It was both informative and fun! The Belly Blessed Fest and Mommy Mundo Clearance Sale truly was a successful and fun event for (expectant) moms like me. The clearance sale sure was a hit and a huge help to budget-savvy moms like me. It was also a fun venue to interact and meet other moms! You won't imagine my delight upon seeing all those pregnant moms! Oooh, I just want to talk to each and every one of them!

Thank you and Congratulations, Mommy Mundo for such a successful and wonderful event! Can't wait for the next Belly Blessed and Mommy Mundo!

We are now on our 6th Month! Cravings, Mood Swings, Sleeplessness, and Lactation Cookies to Increase your Milk Supply

I can’t believe it, baby and I just turned 6 months last July 14! Time flies indeed! We’re almost on our Third Trimester now.

Some things I’ve noticed:

• Insane Cravings!

I didn’t think I’d go through this phase in pregnancy where I’d start having all these cravings, but I was wrong! It was insatiable; I won’t be able to sleep at night until I get to eat the stuff I wanted. Good thing it was nothing weird like anchovy and pickle ice cream or something. Mmmmmm ICE CREAM!

First Trimester

Nearing the end of my First Trimester, I used to crave for steak, mushroom sauce/soup, beef patties, kiwi, mango, milk, and everything BEEF. I hated desserts and couldn’t stomach eating nor even just tasting the desserts I bake. I also hated onions.

Question and Answer. Enfamama A+ Maternity Milk: When to start drinking, Constipation, and Lactose Intolerance

Upon my first pre-natal check up, my doctor advised me to start drinking  maternity milk to start nourishing my changing body and growing baby with the nutrients they need for healthy development and growth. (See Article: FIRST TRIMESTER. Pre-natal Needs Click Link)

Here are a few things moms wanted to know about drinking milk during pregnancy:

August Weekend Events: Mommy Mundo Clearance Sale and Belly Blessed Fest

Good news to all expectant moms!

There’s a festival for expectant moms like us on August 5, 2012 at Fun Ranch, Pasig City. There will be lots of activities and talks for expectant moms so make sure to mark your calendar and be there on Sunday, 11am-8pm.  For more details, contact 0918-9300313.

Another upcoming event for the weekend is the Mommy Mundo Clearance Sale on August 3-5,2012 also at Fun Ranch, Pasig City.  Get up to 70% off!

Fun Ranch is located at Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue Corner C5 (across Tiendesitas) Pasig City.